Over 30 people, 50 cows killed in Niger petrol tanker explosion

• Published On: 08 September 2024 at 13:48

A petrol tanker explosion in Niger State's Agaie Local Government area claimed the lives of over 30 people.

The petrol tanker was said to have collided head-on with a trailer truck carrying travellers and cattle from Wudil in Kano.

Abdullahi Baba-Arab, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), confirmed this in a statement on Sunday. He stated that the incident occurred on Sunday at approximately 12.30 a.m. along Lapai-Agaie, 2 kilometres from Dendo Community in Agaie LGA.

According to Baba-Arab, more than 50 cattle were burned alive, and two other vehicles, a crane truck and a pickup van, were caught in the fire.

The NSEMA statement reads, "NSEMA has received a report of a deadly tanker explosion that occurred on Sunday, September 8, 2024, at about 12.30 a.m. along Lapai-Agaie, 2 kilometres from Dendo Community in Agaie LGA.

"The incident occurred when a petrol tanker loaded with PMS collided with a trailer truck loaded with travellers and cattle from Wudil in Kano State on its way to Lagos. Two other vehicles, a crane truck and a pickup van were also involved.

"Over 30 people have already been confirmed dead, with more than 50 cattle burned alive. NSEMA's Rapid Response Team (RRT), in collaboration with LGEMCs, is still on the scene of the incident, conducting search and rescue operations as more corpses are still trapped inside the trucks," the statement read.